Radical
How do or how could you intertwine tradition into your actions for justice and change?
Psalm 37:11
But the meek will inherit the land;
they will revel in an abundance of peace.
This verse may sound familiar if you’re acquainted with the Beatitudes, Jesus’s list of unexpectedly blessed people, which includes:
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land” (Matthew 5:5).
Most progressive Christians — myself included! — love Jesus the countercultural rebel who upended everything his world knew. And he is that revolutionary radical — but he’s “radical” in its original sense, which comes from the Latin word radix, or “root.”
Jesus tethered his teachings in tradition, drawing his fellow Jews back to their roots with constant references to and expansions on the texts they held sacred (such as this Psalm).
Why does this matter? First, it challenges Christian supersessionism, the notion that Christianity “supersedes” or replaces Judaism — that “their” faith is outdated, stagnant; while “ours” is alive and based in love. When we recognize that Jesus relied on the “Old Testament” for his call to love and justice, we must also acknowledge that these Jewish texts are revolutionary too.
Second, it challenges the notion that tradition and progress are always at odds — that we have to throw out everything old to make way for the new. Instead, we can learn from and adapt tradition’s wisdom, just as Jesus did; an idea doesn’t need to be brand new to be revolutionary.
What are your experiences with and feelings around tradition — the various stories and prayers, practices and rituals passed down generations? How do or how could you intertwine tradition into your actions for justice and change?